Brand building on a budget
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Brand building on a budget Nick Christoforou, Managing Director Emma Cartwright, Copywriter
description
This week we attended the CharityComms Communications on a Shoestring conference, giving some practical advice on how charities can best tackle their communications challenges on a tight budget.Our workshop centred on the branding process – guiding people from the development of a strong brand proposition to the creation of a ‘big idea’ that brings it all to life. And we also explored brand personality, taking a look at some key brand role models to uncover the importance of a distinct identity that engages with the world in an interesting way.The CharityComms event resonated really well with our core values at Neo – to help some of the world’s smallest, but best voices become some of its most powerful ones. As Nick, our Managing Director explains, “Neo is all about amplifying the voices of those organisations who are doing something good and interesting in the world. That’s why we believe workshops like these are so important – helping charities who might not have the budget to clearly articulate their offer, and breathe some life into their brand.”We really enjoyed the running the workshop, and would like to thank all those who joined us.
Transcript of Brand building on a budget
Brand building on a budgetNick Christoforou, Managing DirectorEmma Cartwright, Copywriter
Neo is a communications agency that takes care of the brands that are taking care of the world.
We are a diverse team of strategists, writers, designers and digital thinkers.
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The company we keep
Workshop objectives
“How to be more effective.”
“Add to my comms toolbox”
“Set communications goals that require limited budget”
“Development of brand guidelines and brand manuals”
“How to help everyone work together”
= Simple tips around sharpening your brand
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What we would like to get out of today
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What is a brand?
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A brand is the space you occupy in someone else’s mindAnita Roddick
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It is an expression of what you do, who you are and why you deserve people’s trust
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“Rebrand” reason to be afraid? The scary scale...
FULL STRATEGIC REBRAND
NEW VISUAL
IDENTITY
SIMPLEREFINEMENTS
• If you are new
• Changing your focus (eg. funding, new services, scale)
• Your external comms are not doing you justice
• Need more clarity around your cause and offer
• Bring more consistency
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When you might need to rebrand
Creating Successful Brands
Bringing brands to life
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Where are you now?
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Where do you want to be?
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What’s going to bring your brand to life?
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Sustainability
Case study:Sova
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For 35 years Sova had been helping people steer clear of crime through volunteer based projects across the country.
They needed a brand that would help them stand out, win contracts and bring the organisation together.
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Brief
Before.
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•Inconsistent
•Institutional
•Lacking clarity of message
1. Strategic review
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•Research
•Engagement
•Insight
What we do (mission):We offer personal support and practical advice to help build stability both at work and at home enabling people to make better choices and improve the quality of their lives.
Why we exist (vision/purpose): A society where people have the stability and confidence to steer clear of crime and make better choices
How we work/what we believe (values):The people we work with are the reason for everything we doEveryone should be treated with respectWorking together we can find the best solutions
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2. Sova’s brand positioning- building blocks
Us in a nutshell (essence)Ripple – about people improving their own lives and being able to open up/reach out to other people; their world expanding/getting bigger as they start to see new possibilities and potential in it; new openings / opportunities.
Our personality / tone-of-voiceVibrant – modern, alive and inspiredAccomplished – skilled, with grace Sincere – genuinely on your side Bold – clear and confident
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2. Sova’s brand positioning- expression
3. The big idea
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‘With Sova’s help people are creating a better, brighter future for themselves’
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•Buy-in and sign-off at key stages avoiding expensive duplication of work
•Created templates that could be implemented internally by staff
•Careful selection of a single photography location we managed to cut out the extra costs of multiple locations
•Graduate photographer and volunteer models
•Bulk orders with suppliers earning us a discount
•Devised economical ways of printing
•Utilised internal skills for copywriting, populating website and communications planning
•Used an open source content management system (CMS) for website, ensuring no license fees and low future development costs
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How Sova maximised their budget
Brand personality case study:Ben and Jerry’s
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Ben and Jerry’s brand personality
•Fun – playful, humourous
•Brave - almost controversial
•Passionate - positive attitude
•‘Home-fangled’ – rather than new-fangled
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Exercise:
Describe the personality of the brands on the handouts
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Oxfam’s brand personality
•Provocative – prompt outrage, not guilt
•Optimistic – there’s always something that can be done
•Simple – rather than jargon
•Collaborative – creating change together
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• Cool – contemporary and cutting edge
• Spirited – about stepping up to the challenge
• Tough – no nonsense athletic greatness
• Innovative – thinking outside the box
Nike’s brand personality
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•Knowledgeable – offering direction and insight
•Optimistic – giving hope about the future
•Determined – driving forward in their ambition
•Engaging – spirited and motivating
WWF’s brand personality
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•Feminine – soft, warm, gentle and sophisticated
•Honest – straight talking and simple
•Empowering – celebrating ‘real’ beauty
•Optimistic – sees the potential in its consumer
Dove’s brand personality
Tips for branding on a budget
Strip it all backGet to the core of your brand.
Try to write one sentence that fully encapsulates who you are and what you do. You can use this to point towards your brand essence.
This can go on to inform the creative expression of your brand (ie. big idea - the vehicle that holds everything together)
Neo example:
We use strategy and creative to amplify the messages the world needs to hear.
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How to express your own brand - the big idea
Build it back upIf your brand had a personality what would it be? How would you like people to describe you?
Write down three to four precise characteristics. Keep your audiences in mind during this exercise. What will resonate with them?
A team brainstorm is a good way to identify key themes and shared perspectives.
These characteristics will inform your brand personality (eg, tone-of-voice - the way you interact with the world)
Neo example:
Fresh – we find new ways of saying things.No fuss – we don’t over explain what we do or who we are. We say just enough.Real – we don’t try and talk or act like anyone other than ourselves.
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How to express your own brand - personality
1. Get two for the price of oneIf your organisational strategy is in need of an update use the brand strategy process to do both at the same time.
2. A fresh pair of eyes and earsIf you can afford it - use an agency to help guide you through the process but identify internal skills to do as much as possible in-house.
3. Avoid nasty surprisesIf you use an agency ask them to list all the activities and outputs they would recommend. This will help you plan your budget.
4. Negotiate (fairly of course!)Nice agencies will always try to make the budget work for you.
5. Access free talentExplore student talent to produce your outputs. (Once your core brand is in place)
6. Protect your investmentWrite/design simple brand guidelines. Set up and keep a brand/comms working group from across all areas of the organisation.
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Practical tips
Questions?+44 (0) 1273 600 [email protected]
